Electrical ignition system.



E. ASSMANN. ELECTRICAL IGNITION SYSTEM. 'APPLICATIQN FILED `ocT.3o. ma.

1,178,067. Patnd Apr. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. GASSMANN.

ELECTRICAL IGNITION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.30I 1913.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

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' Ignition lSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE eAssnNN, or InooxLYN, NEW Yonx, .assIGNon T o` EISEMANNIIAeNrzToA co., or NEW Yoan, N. Y., A coRPonATIoN or NEW Yonx.

ELncTnIcAI. IGNITION SYSTEM.

Y Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented pr. 4, 1916.

Application led'october 30, 1913. Serial No. 798,266.

'citizen 'of Germany, and a residentV of the borough of Brooklyn,county' of Kings, and

- State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin ElectricalA Systems for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact specication.

This invention relates to ignition systems for internalcombustion-engines, its 'object is to provide means for producing astrong, voluminous ignition spark, to insure ignition .also at suchtimes when the magneto is run at a low speedfor instance-when theengineis being started by cranking, or

a self-starter, or when otherwise only a weak primary current isavailable; andthe invention consists in the hereinafter specifiedimprovement in the construction of such igniting devices, whereby anintensifying ofthe current is effected, producing, in the inductioncoil, a high tension current of sufficient volume to produce under suchconditions an intense, voluminous spark in the cylinder ofthe engine.

The construction and arrangement of this improvement,which is applicableto electric ignition devices having a xed, or a rotating armature, andto single or double ignition systems, is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, whereinu Figure 1 is a diagram showing the arrangement andconnections of the parts of Ydiagram showing the arrangement and con adouble ignition system, wherein the winding of the armature isstationary; Fig. Qis a nections of the parts of a double ignitionsystem, according to my invention, wherein the armature is rotated;Figs.V 3 and 4 are diagrams of ignition systems arranged similarly, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2 respectively,

but showing also thel arrangement and connections of a commutator insu'ch ignition systems devised according to my invention.

` Fig. 5 is an end view, or front elevation, of

the commutator disk. Y,

Referring to Fig. 1, showing the arrangement of the parts and theirconnections for double ignition systems, whereinthe winding of the`armature is stationary, A represents the core, P the primary and S thesecondary coil of the armature winding of the magneto; B the battery; Ia mechanically operated circuit breaker, m beingits stationary and n itsmovable arm; C represents a condenser; c and c being its connections inthe circuit, parallel to the circuit breaker I; o and o are wires of themagneto circuit to and withl the circuit breaker I, the wire oconnecting at p with the armature winding of the magneto; b, b and b2are wires'of the battery circuit, connecting at p with the `primary coilof the armature winding; D

designates a switch for connecting, and for cutting out, the battery; tand t are the sparker terminals, the latter being also the l terminal ofthe secondary armature winding S of the magneto; G is the mass, andglthe groundingl connecting therewith. In this arrangement, it will benoted, the armature winding of the alternating current generator A isconnected with the constant current source, the battery B, vandconsequently, when the arm o switch Dis shifted to connect the points dand d2 in the battery cir-V cuit, and the contacts of the interrupter Iclosed, the current from the batteryB will y How through wire b', switchD and wire b2 into the primary coil P, wherewith wireb2 connects at p,and through it to wire o', connected to the other terminal of theprimary coilat p', from there through the contact arms n and m and wire'v' to the magneto and through wire b back to the battery. This batterycurrent reinforces and augments whatever current there may be producedby the magneto, while it is operated at a low speed, as for instance, onthe starting of the engine, or whenever the engine is run at a lowspeed. The confluence of the.

electric currents from both sources, whenever the battery current isturned on, results in producing, when the primary circuit isinterrupted, a strong, or rather impulsive, flow of induced current, ofhigh intensity andvolume, in the secondary coil, P of the magneto, andthe discharge of an intense and voluminous spark at the terminal tf, andthus 'insures the safe ignition of the charge, irrespective of the speedat which the alternating current generator may then be run. V

The battery current may be cut oif by shifting switch D to the positionconnecting points d and d2 as shown inthe drawings, whereupon themagneto alone operates to produce the ignition, its low tension currentthe secondary, induction coil S, to the swi :h D, and wire b2, i'ntotheprimary coil P; the high tension current flows through sparkerterminal -t whenever the circuit of the primary current is interrupted.

Besides effecting the above stated `object `of my invention, thisimprovement simplifies and ,cheapens .the construction of such doubleignitionr system, by dispensing with theinductioncoil in the batterycircuit and its attendantlapparatus and connections, and yet permitstheemployment of the battery ignition, in casel of a break down of themagyLneto, with equal facility and effect, the secv,ondary magnetowinding serving then as the induction coil for the battery ignition.

` The diagram Fig. 3, illustrates the arrangement and connections of theparts of arrr ignition device, in which the armature ,Fig 4l, butcombined with a commutator.

.winding is stationary, the same as shown in Its corresponding parts andwiring connec- Wtionsv are designated by the same reference letters and.numerals as in Fig. 1. The commutatorlis composed of two disks,designated respectively H and H, which are staticnary, the lcarbonbrushes f, holder N, formed in the shape yof cog-wheel, rotatablymounted on ystud L, and. which may be driven by a transmission from theengine shaft, and their connecting conduits. Disks stationary armatureof the alternating cur.

- L. The carbon brushes f are set in insulat- Lingbushings It in therotating brush holder Nin positions to traverse the annular fields ofthe commutator disks, and are yieldingly pressed against the disks bymetallic springs Segment J of disk H is connected by wire b2,with theprimary winding P of the rent generatoryandthe corresponding segmenty Jof the diskH is connected by the f wire b?, through switch D and wire b,to one ypole of the battery B; the other pole of the battery isvgroundedby wire b, terminating 1n the mass of disk H. Thus when switch D `isin'the position, indicated in' full line in F 3, the battery .current willHow through 'wire` 6,switch D, wire b2, segment J', carbonbrushes f,segment J and wire b2 into theprimary winding P of the armature. Byshiftingvtheswitch D to point cl3, the position .indicafte'din.l dottedlines, the battery is cutout, and by shifting the switch D from point topoint o', wires and fv, the electrlcal connectlop from 'segment' J tothe anchor of the magneto A, are connected, and the magneto circuitclosed. The operations ofthe ignition device constructed as shown inFig. 3, take place in the same way as eX- plained with reference to Fig.1, the arrangement and connections of the other elements being the same.

In the arrangement, illustrated in diagrams Fig. 2 and 4, which aredevised for an ignition apparatus, having a rotating armature, a thirdcoil T is provided, Whose terminals are connected one'to the primarycoil P, and the other to the secondary coil S lof the armature. Thewiring connections. are made as follows: The wire b2 of the batterycircuit is connected at s to the joined terminals of the secondaryarmature winding S and of the coil T,`- and the Wire w `to the joinedterminals at p of the coil T, and of the primary armature winding P,Whose other terminal is connected to the rotating core of the magneto.All other parts and wires are connected in the same way as those of thesystem illustrated'in Fig. l, except that no connection is made betweenthe switch point d, and the wire b of the battery circuit.

When the switch D is shifted, to close the battery circuit, as, forinstance, at the starting of the engine, and the contact points of theinterrupter I are closed, thebatterycurrent flows through wire b, switchD, wire b2, the coilT, wire 11 the levers n and m and wire v to themagneto, and through Wire b4 to the battery as there is practically noresistance tothe flow of the current at I and there is resistance to itspassage through the winding P. This current is augmented by whatevercurrent is produced by the magneto, and is flowing through the primarywinding P ofits armature. When the `primary circuit is interrupted, by'the separatingy of the contacts m and n, the flow of the battery currentthrough wire o is stopped, and its flow through the winding P beingresisted, the high tension ofthe current induced in the secondarywinding S of the armat-ure and flowing to the terminal t', where thespark is discharged, is thereby increased. It results in no detriment inthe functioning of the ignition device that the circuit through batteryis closed continuously, as long asthe switch D is closed, because thebattery current always acts in support ofor'suppleinentsfthe action ofthe magneto current, the system being devised toy operate either withthe battery and magneto current combined, or with the magneto alone.When the b attery B is cut out, by shifting the switch D to the point d,the magneto operates the ignition in the same way as in any other singleor double ignition system, the

coil T functioning then as a part of the secondary armature winding S,whereby the high tension current, induced therein, when v Y nected bythewire b2 to the joined terminals the primary circuit is interrupted, iscorre spondingly intensified. Y

The adding, in thev arrangements shown diagrammatically in Figs. 2 and4, of the 'third coil T on -the armature of the magneto, and theconnecting of it to the primary, and also to the secondary winding ofthe arma,- -ture, and to the battery and magneto circuits, as described,also prevents all loss of current in the transmission from the Contactring to the brush, which otherwise must be provided in every apparatusin the magneto and in the battery circuit as well. l In the arrangementillustrated in Fig. 4, the one commutator disk H, is secured to androtates with, the armature of the magneto and the wiring connections arecorrespondingly simplified in the arrangement A shown in Fig. 4. In thisarrangement the segment J of the commutator disk H is conof the coil T,and of the secondary armature winding S, at s and the brushes f and fare connected, one by the wire b, and the other by wire b2, throughswitch D and wire b', with the poles of the battery B. The connecting,and the cutting out, of the battery is effected by `shitting the switchD, as "eX- plained with reference to the diagram Fig. 2. When switch Dis set to close the battery circuit and the contact points of thecircuit breaker I are closed, the battery current iiows during theperiods when brush f contacts with the segment J of the disk H,

through the coil Ty and wire i1', etc., and thesame effect is producedby the cooperation of the co-acting elements of the system, as explainedwith reference to the diagram in Fig. 2. When the battery B is cut out,the device operates as a single and in case of a break inthe operationof a magneto. the device may be operated as a single (battery) ignitionacting in both cases the same way explained above. p

I claim as my invention:

1. An electrical ignition system for internal combustion enginescomprising an alter.

nating current generator,-` a primary circuit, an interrupter in theprimary-circuiha high tension circuit and a sparking device connectedtherein; a coil on the armature of the generator connected with theterminals of the primary and of the secondary armature windings of thegenerator; a battery; an electrical conduit from the battery connectingwith the joined terminals of the 1 coil and of the secondary armaturewinding of the-generator; a switch in the conduit; and an electricalconduit completing the battery circuit: substantially as herein shownand described.

2. An e1ectrical 'ignition system for internal combustion enginescomprising an alterx a primary circuit,

natinglcurrent generator high aninterrupter in the primary circuit, a

tension circuit and a sparking device connected therein; and anintermediate coil between the primary and the secondary windings of the'alternating current generator,

and connecting therewith; a commutator electrically connected with theprimary armature winding of the generator; a battery;

electrical conduits from the poles of the battery to the commutator; .aswitch therein and an electrical conduit from the cut out terminal ofthe switch to the alternating current generator, substantially as hereinshown and described.

3. An electrical ignition system for 'internal combustion enginescomprising an alternating current generator, al primary circuit,aninterrupter in the primary circuit,

a high tension circuit and a sparkingdeofthe battery to the-commutator;and a switch in the conduit from the battery to the commutator,substantially as herein` shown and described.

4. The combination in an electrical igni-V tion'lsystem for internalcombustion engines comprising an alternating current generator, aprimary circuit, an interrup'ter in the pri,- mary circuit, a hightension )circuit and a sparking device connected therein; of anintermediate coil between the primary and the secondary Vwindings of thealternating current generator and connecting therewith; an independentsource of electrical current;

a coinmutator, an` electrical conduit connect ing it with the'terminalofthe primary armature winding of the alternating currentgenerator, the independent source of electric current-to and from thecommutator; a switch therein and an electrical conduit from the cut outterminal of-l the switchto the alternating current generator,substantially as herein g shown and described.l f l5-. The combinationin an electrical ignition system for internal lcombustion enginescomprising an alternating current generator,

a primary circuit, an interrupter in the primary circuit, a high tensioncircuit vand a sparking device connected therein; ofA a coil having itsterminals joined with the terminals of the primary and of the vsecondaryarmature windings of the alternating cur.- rent generator, an-`independent source of .electrical current. a' conduit therefrom con--necting it 'withthe' joined terminals ofthe coil and of the secondaryarmature lwinding of the generator; a switch i'n the conduit,

electricalconduits from and to and an .electrical conduit completing thecirnrfctininleners Patent No'. 1,178,067. c

cuit of the independent source of electrical current7 substantially asherein shown and described.

6. The combination in an electrical ignition system for 'internalcombustion engines comprising an alternating current generator, a.primary circuit, an interrupter in the primary circuit, a high tensioncircuit and a -sparkingldevice connected therein; of a coil having itsterminals joined With the terminals of the primary and of the secondaryarmature windings of the alternating current generator, a commutatorelectrically case .the Patent ice.

. [amiral` v l'eadwith` this correction therein that the signed @deemedthis @ai day'o-f May, E'.K D., 191e.` t

EUGENE GASSMANN.

f Witnesses R. A. PIPER, VERONICA BRAUN.

l It is hereby@erarialiv that in Letters Patent' No. 1,1782067, 'grantedApril'li, v 1916, upon the application of Eugene Grassmann,i of YBrooklyn, New York, for an improvementuin Electrical Ignition Systems,an error appears in the printed y speciiicationrequiring correction as,follows: Page 3, lines 40u-43; strike out the -words and incase of abreak inl the` operation of ax magneto, the device may be operated 4as avsingle (battery) ,ignition acting in botli cases the 4same Way and vinsert the Words (magneto) ignition; andtht the said Letters Patentshould be I s'ame may conform to the record of the EF. WHrrEHEAD,gliding. 'qfPatenta 'I

